Ana Grițco

The First World War (1914-1918) in deltiology

This article is the result of research of the museum's collection of postcards on the theme of the First World War, which was carried out in connection with the centenary since the war began.

At the present stage of the evolution of historical science a special role belongs to the documentary sources that had previously been "less required", including illustrated postcards. At the beginning of the 20th century postcards know peak of their evolution. Being very popular, mobile and accessible, during the war they fulﬁlled several functions. In addition to performing the functions of postal items, they become an accessible form of propaganda and a source of supplementing military budget.

The collection of picture postcards relating to the First World War comprises three categories of documents. The ﬁrst one includes black-and-white postcards with representations of weapons and ammunition, scenes of the battleﬁeld, soldiers' lives in their leisure hours, the work of the military medical service, life behind the front.

The second category includes illustrated postcards calling on the public to support the army. These are color postcards of high quality, with a lot of printed text on the back side, containing, in addition to the publisher's data, the call to the public to support the army in the ﬁght against the enemy.

The third category contains postcards with caricatures, which occupied a special place during the First World War, as they were used as an eﬀective weapon against the enemy, the propaganda support both on the battleﬁeld and in the rear.

Chronologically, these postcards were printed and circulated between 1914 and 1916. There are cards with blackand-white and color images that were printed in Russia by printing houses and private publishers, Red Cross soci eties, as well as the Moscow satirical magazine "Novoe Krivoe Zerkalo" ("New Distorting Mirror").

The article contributes to the study of the history of World War II in terms of the illustrative material, as well as provides information about the authors and publishers of postcards.

List of illustrations:Fig. 1. Postcard Prayer before the battle. Released by the St. Nicholas Community of the Russian Red Cross Society (NMHM, FB-21336-10).

Fig. 2. Postcard (reverse side). Every 2-3 sold cards provide an opportunity to make a respirator to protect against poison gases. Released by the St. Nicholas Community of the Russian Red Cross Society (NMHM, FB21336-10).Fig. 3. Postcard. 116. Cannon on a position. Released by G.V. Gruzintsev, the town of Luga, 1915; Phototype Scherer, Nabholz & Co., Moscow (NMHM, FB-21336-8).Fig. 4. Postcard. 54. Battery on a position. Released by G.V. Gruzintsev, the town of Luga, 1915; Phototype Scherer, Nabholz & Co., Moscow (NMHM, FB-21336-7).Fig. 5. Postcard. 127. Hair cutting near the dugout. Released by G.V. Gruzintsev, the town of Luga, 1915; Phototype Scherer, Nabholz & Co., Moscow (NMHM, FB-21336-9).Fig. 6. Postcard. 24. In the war. Sending wounded men from the regimental dressing station to the hospital. Released by O. Adamovich, Minsk; Phototype Scherer, Nabholz & Co. (NMHM, FB-20579).Fig. 7. Postcard. In Galicia. In the safe shelter during the shelling. Released by O. Adamovich, priest of the 64 Kazan Infantry Regiment; Phototype Scherer, Nabholz & Co. (NMHM, FB-20578).Fig. 8. Postcard. Bandaging of the wounded during the battle. Russia, 1915 (NMHM, FB-20577).Fig. 9. Postcard. Shells for the army the glory and prosperity of Russia. Released by the Skobelev Committee of the Assistance to the Wounded Soldiers. Petrograd, 1915 (NMHM, FB-7788-30).Fig. 10. Postcard. When the motherland needed guns, the factories are working day and night. Released by the Skobelev Committee of the Assistance to the Wounded Soldiers. Petrograd, 1915 (NMHM, FB-7788-31).Fig. 11. Postcard. French long-range gun. Released by the Skobelev Committee of the Assistance to the Wounded Soldiers. Petrograd, 1915 (NMHM, FB-7788-32).Fig. 12. Postcard. Romanian troops in the First World War. Balloon, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-33).Fig. 13. Postcard. On the strengthening of funds of the Northern Railway Committee to assist soldiers. Russia, 1914 (NMHM, FB-7788-5).Fig. 14. Postcard (reverse side). Take part in the accumulation of funds, buy war bonds. Russia, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-23).Fig. 15. Postcard. Help the Army in its great work and sign up for the military 5½ loan. Released by the Oﬃce for Small Loans. Petrograd, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-19).Fig. 16. Postcard. Anyone who signs up for military 5½ loan will help our heroes to destroy the enemies. Released by the Oﬃce for Small Loans. Petrograd, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-22).Fig. 17. Postcard. Sign up for the military 5½ loan. Released by the Oﬃce for Small Loans. Petrograd, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-21).Fig. 18. Postcard. Military 5½ loan. The more money, the more weapons and ammunition, the closer to victory.Released by the Oﬃce for Small Loans. Petrograd (NMHM, FB-7788-23).Fig. 19. Postcard. Military loan. Forward for the Motherland! Released by the Oﬃce for Small Loans. Petrograd, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-20).Fig. 20. The reverse side of the postcards released by the Oﬃce for Small Loans. Petrograd, 1916 (NMHM, FB7788-20).Fig. 21. The reverse side of the postcards released by the Skobelev Committee of the Assistance to the Wounded Soldiers. Petrograd, 1916 (NMHM, FB-7788-30).Fig. 22. Postcard. Caricature (color). Russian hen, Slavic chickens and German thieves. Released by "Novoe Krivoe Zerkalo". Moscow, 1914 (NMHM, FB-5935-11).Fig. 23. Postcard. Caricature (color). The prudent son. By L. Zolotarev. Petrograd, 1914 (NMHM, FB-59353). Fig. 24. Postcard. Caricature. The spirit of hatred and evil. By A. Tzenter. Petrograd, 1914 (NMHM, FB-59356). Fig. 25. Postcard. Caricature (color). Homeward. Russia, 1914 . (NMHM, FB-5935 12).Fig. 26. Postcard. Caricature (color). Finally, I am in Russia. Released by P. Khmelevsky. Russia, 1914 (NMHM, FB-5935-2).Fig. 27. Postcard. Caricature. "The Italian ﬁg sign". Released by "Novoe Krivoe Zerkalo". Moscow, 1916 (NMHM, FB-5935-4).Fig. 28. Postcard. Caricature (color). On the way to Paris by 11 August. Russia, 1916 (NMHM, FB 59358).Fig. 29. Postcard. Caricature. What a pity that the world consists of only two hemispheres. Released by "Novoe Krivoe Zerkalo". Moscow, 1916 (NMHM, FB-5935-7).Fig. 30. Postcard. Caricature (color). Wolf in the kennel. Released by "Nov'", Kiev, 1914. (NMHM, FB-5935-10).Fig. 31. Postcard. Caricature. After the defeat of museums... "nah Fatherland". By A. Tzenter. Petrograd, 1914 (NMHM, FB-5935-8).